Combined letter sheet and reply sheet



Oct. 30, 1956 s. R.` MILLER.

COMBINED LETTER SHEET ANDREPLY SHEET Filed Oct. "5, 1954 5 Z .I 2 ,wflllljf 4 w M ...www n A Wv/ m m m .l m M l 3- M WE? m mm1 M wm. m EN ET/ ,E Z D 5 www@ m r4 5Fl. M www mw l2 2 v.. Y M gm. C.- m nu B n /lm bm :l .R F WN /g .E Mv 5ml. w uw 2 Y f MM mw! 2 .nd Mmm m 2 M-T-.//I:- wm ..../xwww U n D\N n: Y. mrs m n Mm, uw m m@ m |-||-x|.|A um ML /QM Il United NStates Patent O naaf/'s0` COMBINED LETTER srmE'r AND REPLY SHEET Samuel R. Miller, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to New Era Letter Company, inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October i, 1954, Serial No. 460,329

6 Claims. (Cl. 229-92.3)

This invention relates to mailing pieces, and more particularly to 1a combined letter sheet and reply sheet.

-In business correspondence, particularly of an advertising nature, it has long been known that the sender is more likely to receive a reply if the reply is facilitated, .as by including a self-addressed reply for-m. It is also known to combine the letter with such a reply sheet, 'typically a card housed in la pocket, and the address of the initial addressee rmay be exposed through a Window to lact :iii-st as the initial ,ad-dress and later as a reply address. It has also been proposed to make the reply card a part of :a single sheet, located at the bottom of the letter sheet, and connected thereto by a fold line. The Iupper part of -the letter sheet may have a window through which the initial address is exposed by folding the sheet in half.

Such mailing pieces have not proved altogether satislfactory. One difliculty is that when :reading the main letter the recipient has before him .a blank window, instead of the usual salutation including his -narne and iaddress. Another :difficulty is that the sheet must be specially shaped and patterned at the return card, instead of being la simple rectangle, which is easiest to make and lmost leconomical in the use of paper. 'A third difficulty is that the return message has ordinarily been on an open card, withno degree of concealment.

The primary object `of the present invention is to generally improve mailing pieces of the specified character, and to overcome the foregoing difficulties. A more particular object is to provide a mailing piece in which the address ofthe initial addressee need be typed only once, but then serves three purposes. First, it is exposed through the Window of a standard window envelope `and acts as the initial add-ress. Second, it is exposed thro-ugh the window of the letter sheet in proper position to act as a part of the salutation when the main letter is being read by the initial addressee. fThird, it acts as :a return `address for the reply message, which in these cases is important not so much for postal use (because ordinarily the postage has been prepaid, and the 'reply address is clearly printed in advance), but rather to show the `advertiser whose reply is being received.

Another object of 4the invention is to m-ake the letter sheet and the reply sheet 4out of `one piece of paper which is a simple rectangle, thus using the full width of the sheet Ieven at the reply portion thereof. A still fur-ther object is to make the reply sheet in the form of an envelope which may be sealed to `at least partially conceal the reply, and which when folded and sealed is stiff compared to the material of the letter sheet, which `would be unsatisfactory if sought to be used as a flat card.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, 'and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, -my invention resides in the 'combined letter sheet and reply sheet, and the elements thereof, as are hereinafter more particularly `described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the letter sheet as presented to and normally read by the recipient;

Y 2,768,780 Patented Oct. 30, 1956 F-ig. 2 is a fragmentary inverted view of the reverse side of the sheet, with the reply portion turned out;

Fig. -3 is ya plan View `of the upper part -of the front side of the complete sheet, with the reply portion turned out;

Fig. 4 shows the front of the reply sheet after it has Ibeen lfolded to envelope for-m; Y

Fig. 5 is an edge View of "the folded reply sheet looking in the vdirection of the arrowsS-S of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a front view -of the complete sheet as initially folded preparatory to placing the same in la window envelope;

Fig. 7 4is an end view of the folded sheet looking in the direction of the arrows 7-7 of Fi-g. 6; and

Fig. S shows a standard window envelope in which 'the folded sheet is mailed.

Y Referring to the drawing, land more particularly to Fig. 1, Ilthe mailing piece is there shown as presented to and read by the initial addressee. The particular-sheet 12 lher-e shown is of standard letter size, say 81/2 X ill. At the top there is the conventional printed letterhead y114 of the advertiser or soliciting company. The name and address of the recipient or addressee a-re typed at 16, and are located in the usual position above the body of the letter indicated at 18, with complimentary close and signature at '20. The letterhead '14 is above `address 16, and the body 18 is below address 16. Thus the position or layout and the general form of the letter are conventional.

However, the name and address at 16 actually are read through an opening or window 22, and are typed on the back surface of la flap 24 which is folded rearwardly and 'downwardly beneath the upper part 25 of the letter sheet |112. yIn Fig. 3 the part 24 has 'been turned upward to its original position above the letter sheet 12, and it will be seen that it has the lfull width of the sheet A'12, and is joined to it 'by a combined fold and/ or tear :line 26. Thus the complete sheet as first made has the width of a standard letterhead sheet, and a length no more than and preferably about one-third llonger than a standard letterhead sheet. The -upper added section 24 serves later for the reply message, but is initially folded rearwardly and downwardly beneath the upper portion 2S of the sheet 12.

ln the usual case the upper part 25 is Vthe upper third of the main letter sheet 12, the said sheet being folded in @customary manner in three parts to be received in a standard envelope. The upper part v25 contains lthe -winl'dow 22, which is properly located to be in registration with the window of a standard w-indow envelope for the specified size sheet. In iFig. 8 the envelope '30 is a lstand- :ard #10 window envelope having a window 132 in the lower lethand part. The return address |34 of the advertising or soliciting company is printed in usual fashion at the upper lef-t corner of the envelope, and postage is applied Vor printed iat 36 in the upper right corner. The `window 2'2 (Figs. l and 6) of the letter sheet comes into registration with the window *32 (Fig. 8) of the envelope 30.

Fig. 2 shows the baekof the upper added section 24. For this view the sheet of Figs. 1 and 3 has been inverted from top to bottom, and reversed from front to back, and the section 24 is then at the lower end of the sheet, as shown. The back of the letter sheet including the part 25 shown is blank, but the latter part may be recognized by the presence of the window 22, which -now is in its upper left portion. The back of the added section 24- is printed at 4b with a reply address, that is with the address of the advertising or soliciting company. The term print is here used to mean printing press printing of all of the sheets, in contrast to Ityping of an individual name and address. There may be a printed indication of prepaid postage, as at 42. There is also va space in which to manually Write, type, or Votherwise add the initial address, shown at 16. If desired the word From may be printed, as shown at 44. This is printed near enough to the address 16 to show that the address is a return address when the reply message is being mailed back, but far enough from the address 16 so that it will not show through the window 22.

The opposite side of the added section 24 affords adequate space for the reply message. If desired this space 46 may be printed, as shown upside down in Fig. 3, with appropriate questions and indicia for answers, thus minimizing the work required when answering. It may include indicia to facilitate answers as, for example, the squares shown at 56 to receive cross marks pursuant to instructions given in the main letter, or on the reply sheet, or both.

The added section 24 is preferably arranged for use as a reply message envelope. Thus in Fig. 3 it will be seen that there is a vertical glue line 48 at one edge. There is a fold line 50 within the glue line 48, and another fold line 52 partway and preferably halfway across the sheet from the rst fold line S0. When the added section 24 has been torn from the letter sheet at the tear line 26, and the answer has been written, the sheet is folded on line S2, and the glued edge 48 is moistened and folded on line 50, thus sealing the envelope with the message inside, as shown in Fig. 5. The previously printed reply address of the advertiser or soliciting party is then exposed on the front of the message envelope, as shown at 40 in Fig. 4. The From of the return address 16 of the answering party appears on the back of the message envelope.

Reverting to Figs. 1 and 3, the original sheet is a rectangular sheet which may be of standard width but of increased length. It is initially prepared with the glue line 48, window 22, and some or all of the printing. In some cases a preliminary printing may consist of only the letterhead and reply address. When the initial letter is a form letter the initial printing may include the entire letter, or it may be done as a subsequent printing operation. This may also include questions or other aids in securing the desired reply information, these being printed on the front side 46 of the added section 24. The reverse side of the sheet is also printed, this printing being limited to the added section 24, and including the reply address 40, the postage indication, and the word From indicated at 44.

The clerical staff of the advertising -or soli-citing company lls in only the initial address indicated at 16. This may be done longhand, or by means of a typewriter, or by an addressing machine plate, depending on the facilities available. The added section 24 is turned rearwardly and downwardly beneath the upper part 26 of the sheet 12. The remainder of the sheet is then folded behind the parts 24 and 26, most simply in accordion fashion on lines indicated at 60 and 62 in Figs. 1 and 7, but these lines 60 and 62 are not printed or indicated on the letter sheet.

The front of the folded sheet then looks as shown in Fig. 6, and an end view of the same is shown in Fig. 7, the added section 24 being folded behind -the upper part 26, and the remainder of the sheet being folded upwardly and then downwardly as shown at 64 and 66 on fold lines 60 and 62. The folded sheet is then slid into a standard window envelope, shown at 30 in Fig. 8, at which time the address 16 of the initial addressee is properly exposed through window 32.

When the letter is received the reader first sees the letterhead and his own address, and ordinarily pulls the rear sections 64 and 66 downward to read ythe letter. The text of the letter ordinarily will include a request to tear olf the added section 24 which, of icourse, will sufficiently call attention to the same.

It is believed that the combined letter sheet and reply sheet of my invention, including the method of printing and using -the same, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing description. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and described the invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure shown without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

In the claims I shall for convenience refer to the part 26 of the letter sheet as the upper one-third of the sheet, but it will be understood that while this is usual it is not altogether essential, and that for a short initial letter the letter sheet might consist of only the parts 26 and 64 without the lowermost part 66, in which case the windowed letterhead part 26 would constitute the upper half instead of the upper third of the letter sheet. Conversely, an extra long sheet might be folded in four parts instead of three. I have also referred to the extension 24 as adding about one-third to the length of the letter sheet, but, of course, if the letter sheet consisted of only the parts 26 and 64, the extension 24 here shown would add about one-half to the length of the sheet, and if there were four parts the extension would add about one quarter. Moreover, it is not essential that the reply sheet 24 have the full vertical dimension shown. It can be shortened somewhat, so long as there is enough area to come beneath or occupy the window 22.

While I have shown the reply sheet in Fig. 3 with a single line of adhesive 48 along one edge, it will be understood that a line of latex-type adhesive may be applied along both the left and righthand edges, thus providing surfaces which readily adhere together under pressure, and without requiring moistening, and yet which do not adhere except against one another. In such case, of course, the fold line S2 is centered halfway between the side edges, and the folded reply sheet has only two thicknesses throughout instead of having a third thickness at Ione edge as shown in Fig. 5.

I claim:

l. A mailing piece comprising a single rectangular sheet of -paper having throughout its length the width of a standard letterhead sheet and a length longer than a standard letterhead sheet, said rectangular sheet comprising a standard letterhead sheet section and an upper added section, the upper added section of said sheet serving for a reply message envelope and being joined to the standard sheet by a tear line, sai-d upper section being adapted to be folded rearwardly and downwardly beneath the upper third of the standard sheet, the said upper third having a window properly located to be in registration with the window of a standard window envelope for the specified size sheet, the part of said third above said window being printed with the letterhead of the writer of the initial message, and Vthe sheet below said window being adapted to receive the initial message, the upper added section or reply message envelope having glue and fold lines whereby it may be folded and sealed, the back of said upper added section being printed at one place with a reply address and having a space at another place for the initial address, the front of said upper or reply message envelope section affording space for the reply message, the arrangement being such that the .initial message may be mailed and later may be read with the initial address seen through the window, and said initial address thereafter acting as a return address when-the reply message envelope is folded, sealed and mailed.

2. A mailing piece comprising a single rectangular sheet of paper having throughout its length the width of a standard letterhead sheet and having a length about one-third longer than a standard letterhead sheet, said rectangular sheet comprising a standard letterhead sheet section and an upper added section, the upper added section of said sheet serving for a reply message envelope and being joined to the standard sheet by a tear line, said upper section being adapted to be folded rearwardly and downwardly beneath the upper third of the standard sheet, the said upper third `having a window properly located to be in registration with the window of a standard window envelope for the specified size sheet, the part of said third above said window being printed with the letterhead of the writer of the initial message, and the sheet below said window being adapted to receive the initial message, the upper added section or reply message envelope having glue and fold lines whereby it may be folded and sealed, the back of said upper added section being printed at one place with a reply address and prepaid postage indication and having a space at another place for the initial address and having the word From printed near said space, the front of said upper or reply message envelope section alfording space for the reply message, the arrangement being such that the initial message may be mailed and later may be read with the initial address seen through the window, and said initial address thereafter acting as a return address when the reply message envelope Ais folded, sealed and mailed.

3. A mailing piece comprising a single sheet of paper having the width of a standard letterhead sheet and a 'length longer than a standard letterhead sheet, said sheet comprising a standard letterhead sheet section and an upper added section, the upper added section of said sheet serving for a reply message envelope and being joined to the standard sheet by a tear line, said upper section being adapted to be folded rearwardly and downwardly beneath the upper third of the standard sheet, the said upper third having a window properly located to be in registration with the window of a standard window envelope for the specified size sheet, the part of said third above said window being printed with the letterhead of the writer of the initial message, and the sheet below said window being adapted to receive the initial message, the upper added section or reply message envelope having a vertical glue line at one end, a fol-d line partway across the sheet, the black of said upper section being printed at one side with a reply address and having a space at the other side to receive the initial address, the front of said upper or reply message envelope section affording space for the reply message, the arrangement being such that the initial message may be mailed and later may be read with the initial address seen through the window, and said initial address thereafter acting as a return address when the reply message envelope is folded, sealed and mailed.

4. A mailing piece comprising a single sheet of paper having the width of a standard letterhead sheet and a length about one-third longer than a standard letterhead sheet, said sheet comprising a standard letterhead sheet section and an upper added section, the upper added section of said sheet serving for a reply message envelope and being joined to the standard sheet by a tear line, said upper section being adapted to be folded rearwardly and downwardly beneath the upper third of the standard sheet, the said upper third having a window properly located to be in registration with the window of a standard window envelope for the specified size sheet, the part of said third above said window being printed with the letterhead of the writer of the initial message, and the sheet below said window being adapted to receive the initial message, the upper added section or reply message envelope having a vertical -glue line at one end, a fold line just within said glue line, another fold line halfway across the sheet from the rst fold line, the back of said upper section being printed at one side with a reply address and prepaid postage indication, and having a space at the other side to receive the initial address and having the word From printed on said latter side, the front of said upper or reply message envelope section affording space for the reply message, said space being printed with appropriate questions and indicia for answers, the arrangement being such that the initial message may be mailed and later may be read with the initial address seen through the window, and said initial address thereafter acting as a return address when the reply message envelope is folded, sealed and mailed.

5. A mailing piece comprising a single sheet of paper having the width of a standard letterhead sheet and a length longer than a standard letterhead sheet, said sheet comprising a standard letterhead sheet section and an upper added section, the added section of said sheet serving for a reply message envelope and being joined to the standard sheet by a tear line, said added section being adapted to be folded beneath the standard sheet, the upper part of the standard sheet having a window properly located to be in registration with the window of a standard window envelope for the specied size sheet, the part of said sheet above said window being printed with the letterhead of the writer of the initial message, and the sheet below said window being adapted to receive the initial message, the added or reply message envelope having a vertical glue line at one end, a fold line just within said glue line, another fold line partway across the sheet from the first fold line, the back of the added section being printed at one side with a reply address and having a space at the other side to receive the initial address, the front of said added section or reply message envelope affording space for the reply message, said space being printed with appropriate questions and indicia for answers, the arrangement being such that the initial message may be mailed with the initial address seen through the window, and said initial address thereafter acting as a return address when the reply message envelope is folded, sealed and mailed.

6. A mailing piece comprising a single sheet of paper having the width of a standard letterhead sheet and a length about one-third longer than a standard letterhead sheet, said sheet comprising a standard letterhead sheet section and an upper added section, the added section of said sheet serving for a reply message envelope and being joined to the standard sheet by a tear line, said added section being adapted to be folded beneath the standard sheet, the upper part or third of the standard sheet having a window properly located to be in registration with the window of a standard Window envelope for the specified size sheet, the part of said sheet or third above said window being printed with the letterhead 0f the writer of the initial message, and the sheet below said window being adapted to receive the initial message, the added or reply message envelope having a vertical glue line at one end, a fold line just within said glue line, another fold line partway or halfway across the sheet from the first fold line, the back of the added section being printed at one side with a reply address and prepaid postage indication and having a space at the other side to receive the .initial address and having the Word From printed `on said latter side, the front of said added Section or reply message envelope affording space for the reply message, said space being printed with appropriate questions and indicia for answers, the arrangement being such that the initial message may be mailed with the initial address seen through the window, and said initial address thereafter acting as a return address when the reply message envelope is folded, sealed and mailed.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,256,145 Loewenback Feb. 12, 1918 1,944,853 Unger Jan. 23, 1934 2,012,075 Adams Aug. 20, 1935 2,355,348 Welliver et al Aug. 8, 1944 2,559,776 Larzelere July 10, 1951 

